The city of Lexington is preparing for the incoming winter storm. Heavy snow is expected for most of the state, with the potential for large amounts of freezing rain and ice to also hit the southern and eastern portions.
Rob Larkin is Lexington's Director of Emergency Management. He said people need to get their supplies, prescriptions, groceries, and be completely prepared before this storm hits.
“Make your home safe for supplemental or alternate heating, etc. Have a plan to stay warm if the power fails. Ensure your vehicle is mechanically sound, reliable, and fully fueled in case you must travel in this emergency,” Larkin said.
Residents are encouraged to have enough household essentials and medications to meet their needs for at least 96 hours.
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton is urging residents to stay off the roads if at all possible.
“Clearly, this is likely to be the kind of weather where staying home will be the safest choice for most of us. Fewer cars on the road make it easier for city crews to focus on clearing the snow and the first responders to respond to emergencies,” she said.
Director of Streets and Roads Rob Allen said road crews are already pre-treating shaded spots, hills, and intersections. Pre-treating will continue throughout today. All Streets and Roads employees involved in road treatment have been placed on call, Allen said.
Residents are urged to not park along streets and major roads to allow street crews to clear routes effectively. Downtown, LexPark will make it easier to stay off the streets by opening downtown garages to free parking, said LexPark Executive Director Laura Boison.
- Transit Center Garage, 150 East Vine Street: open 8 a.m., Saturday, January 24 until 8 a.m., Tuesday, January 27
- Helix Garage, 156 W Main Street: open 8 a.m., Saturday, January 24 until 8 a.m., Tuesday, January 27
- Courthouse Garage, 150 Barr Street: open 8 a.m., Saturday, January 24 until 8 a.m., Tuesday, January 27
- Victorian Square Garage, 350 W Short Street: open 6 p.m., Saturday, January 24 until 8 a.m., Tuesday, January 27
The precipitation is expected to begin on Saturday and could continue until Monday morning. Extremely cold temperatures are expected along with this storm, and forecasters say those could stick around most of next week.
